Quality end-of-life care requires effective communication skills, yet medical and nursing students report limited opportunities to develop these skills, and that they lack confidence and the related competence.

Our purpose was to design, implement, and evaluate an educational intervention employing simulated patient actors to enhance students' abilities to communicate with dying patients and their families.

A study employing a mixed-methods design was conducted with prequalification nursing and medical students recruited from a London university. The first phase involved focus groups with students, which informed the development of an educational intervention involving simulated patient actors. Questionnaires measuring students' perceptions of confidence and competence levels when communicating with dying patients and their families were administered before and after the intervention.

The themes from focus groups related to responding to grief and anger, difficulties dealing with emotions, knowing the “right thing” to say, and a lack of experience. A significant increase (p < 0.5) in competence and confidence from baseline levels followed participation in the simulated scenarios.

Simulation was found to be an effective means of preparing students to communicate with dying patients and their families. The opportunity to develop communication skills was valued. Integration of educational interventions employing simulated patient actors into nursing and medical curricula may assist in improving the care provided to patients at the end of life.